Baylor alum to share 'Shrek' secrets at SMU

Sept. 17, 2003

By Leanna Pate, reporter

The art director for the Academy Award-winning movie Shrek and Baylor alumnus, Douglas Rogers, will speak on the creative characteristics of an art director at 7 p.m. Thursday at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

'I will share the inspiration behind the details, the evolution from pencil sketch to the art form of the finished film - and hopefully some insight involved in bringing Shrek to life on the big screen,' Rogers, a 1982 graduate, said.

Rogers will address the visual development of the DreamWorks SKG production through Shrek artwork, movie clips and bloopers not previously seen by the public.

He will explain why Lord Farquaad wears red, the particular way moss hangs from a tree and what it takes to make skin look human, according to the American Institute of Graphic Arts press release.

'Computer-generated animation is not bound by geography,' he said. 'It is only bound by creativity and money. Texas has the background you need to be a player in computer generated animations. It has the engineers and artists, putting it far ahead of some other locations.'

Due to Roger's hectic production schedule, this presentation will happen only once.

'You'll never be able to get a perspective of [an art director] and how things are really done in Hollywood; it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience,' Arnel Trovada, president of Trovada Communications, said.

Students also are encouraged to bring their portfolios with them to meet with Rogers personally. DreamWorks is constantly looking for new talent, and 'Rogers would be happy to take a look,' Trovada said.

His works have ranged from designing the graphics system for the elevated mass transit system of Monterrey, Mexico to the design of Luciano Pavoratti's world tour. Rogers currently is working on the upcoming DreamWorks animated production Sharkslayer.